Double Impatiens plant named `Tioga Hot Pink`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Double Impatiens plant named `Tioga Hot Pink`, characterized by its large hot pink flowers; flowers held above or beyond the foliage; consistently double and symmetrical flower form; numerous flowers per plant; freely branching, dense plant habit; upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; and dark green foliage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of DoubleImpatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Tioga Hot Pink`.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventors in Coquille, Oreg. The objective of the breeding programwas to develop varieties with attractive flower colors, consistentlydouble flower form, uniform plant habit, and numerous flowers per plant.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made in July, 1992, by theinventors of an unnamed proprietary seedling selection as the male orpollen parent with an unnamed proprietary seedling selection as thefemale or seed parent.

The cultivar `Tioga Hot Pink` was discovered and selected by theinventors as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross ina controlled environment in Coquille, Oreg. Asexual reproduction of thenew cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Coquille, Oreg., has shownthat the unique features of this new Double Impatiens are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Tioga Hot Pink`. These characteristicsin combination distinguish the new Double Impatiens as a new anddistinct cultivar:

1. Large hot pink flowers.

2. Flowers held above or beyond the foliage.

3. Consistently double and symmetrical flower form.

4. Numerous flowers per plant.

5. Freely branching, dense plant habit.

6. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

7. Dark green foliage.

In constrast to plants of the new Double Impatiens, plants of the parentproprietary seedling selections have semi-double flowers withreproductive organs and capable of producing seed. In addition, the maleparent has deep rose-colored flowers and bronze foliage; and the femaleparent has light pink flowers and leaves that are 20% larger than thenew Double Impatiens.

The new Double Impatiens is similar in flower color to the DoubleImpatiens cultivar Rosebud Rose (not patented). However in side-by-sidecomparisons in Coquille, Oreg., under commercial practice, plants of thenew Double Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Rosebud Rosein the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Double Impatiens are more uniform in plant habitthan plants of the cultivar Rosebud Rose.

2. Plants of the new Double Impatiens are more freely branching and havestronger lateral branches than plants of the cultivar Rosebud Rose.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Double Impatiens are smaller than leavesof plants of the cultivar Rosebud Rose.

4. Flowers of plants of the new Double Impatiens face upward or outwardwhereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Rosebud Rose face outward ordownward as peduncles of plants of the cultivar Rosebud Rose are weakerthan peduncles of the new Double Impatiens.

5. Flower spurs of plants of the new Double Impatiens are light pink incolor whereas flower spurs of plants of the cultivar Rosebud Rose arelight green in color.

A detailed comparison of plants of the new Double Impatiens and thecultivar Rosebud Rose appears in Chart A at the end of thespecification.

The new Double Impatiens has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature and light level, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand flower color of the new Double Impatiens, showing the colors as trueas it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of thistype.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalplant of the new Double Impatiens.

The second photographc comprises a side perspective view of typicalplants of the cultivar Rosebud Rose (left) and the new Double Impatiens(right) showing the differences in plant and flowering habit. Flower andfoliage colors in the photographs may appear different from the actualcolors due to light reflectance.

The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in Coquille, Oreg., grown under double layer ofpolyethylene with day temperatures ranging from 23 to 30C and nighttemperatures ranging from 10 to 18C, and light levels ranging from 3,000to 5,000 footcandles.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except were general terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens walleriana cultivar `Tioga HotPink`.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.--Unnamed proprietary seedling selection.

Female or seed parent.--Unnamed proprietary seedling selection.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 14 days at a temperature of 20 C.

Rooting habit.--Numerous, fibrous, and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.--Upright and outwardly spreading, triangular.

Growth habit.--Moderately vigorous. Dense and bushy growth. Flowersabove or beyond the foliage. Suitable for 10 to 25-cm containers.

Plant height.--About 23 cm.

Branching habit.--Freely branching with about eight lateral branches,branches strong.

Lateral branches.--Size: Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Color: 144A with red spots and areas atnodes, 59A.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant,alternate, and flat in aspect. Size, largest leaves: Length: About 4.5cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Ovate with acute apex, attenuate base andcrenate margin. Texture: Smooth. Color: Upper surface: 147A. Lowersurface: 147B/147C. Venation, upper surface: 147B. Venation, lowersurface: 147B/147C. Petiole: Size: Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2mm. Color: White to light green.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Large hot pink flowers. Consistently double andsymmetrical flowers. Freely and continuously flowering. Flower buds opensimilar to a rose in fullness. Flowers arise from leaf axils, terminalbud opening first. Usually six flowers per lateral branch. Flowerspositioned above or beyond the foliage and face upward or outward.Flowers self-cleaning.

Time to flower.--Flowering generally commences four to six weeks afterplanting.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In thegarden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower diameter.--About 3.5 cm.

Flower depth (height).--About 1.3 cm.

Flowers buds.--Size: Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape:Ovoid. Color: 62A.

Petals/petaloids.--Quantity: Numerous. Size (largest petals): Length:About 1.6 cm. Width: About 1.6 cm. Shape: Round with rounded apex,cuneate or obtuse base and entire margin. Texture: Satiny, smooth.Color: When opening, upper surface: Iridescent, 57A. When opening, lowersurface: Iridescent, 62A. Mature, upper surface: Iridescent, 57A.Mature, lower surface: Iridescent, 62A. Fading to: Iridescent, 57A.

Spur.--Length: About 2 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: Light pink.

Peduncles.--Length: About 2.5 cm. Angle: Upright to outwardly arching.Strength: Moderate. Color: 146B.

Reproductive organs.--None observed. Under optimal flowering conditions,reproductive organs are not observed as these structures develop intosterile petaloids. Without the development of functional reproductiveorgans, pollination and subsequent seed production are not observed.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance norsusceptibility to pathogens has not been observed.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CHARACTERISTIC                                                                             TIOGA HOT PINK                                                                              ROSEBUD ROSE                                       ______________________________________                                        PLANT SHAPE  Upright and   Open center,                                                    outwardly spreading,                                                                        irregular habit,                                                triangular    roughly triangular                                 BRANCHING HABIT                                                                            Freely, about 8                                                                             Low to moderate,                                                lateral branches per                                                                        about 5 lateral                                                 plant, branches                                                                             branches per plant,                                             strong        branches weak and                                                             cascade from weight                                                           of foliage and                                                                flowers                                            LATERAL BRANCH                                                                             About 20 cm   About 25 cm                                        LENGTH                                                                        LATERAL BRANCH                                                                             About 9 mm    About 7 mm                                         DIAMETER                                                                      LATERAL BRANCH                                                                             Strong        Weak, stems cascade                                STRENGTH                                                                      LEAF LENGTH  About 4.5 cm  About 5.5 cm                                       LEAF WIDTH   About 3 cm    About 3.5                                          PETIOLE LENGTH                                                                             About 2 cm    About 1.75 cm                                      FLOWERING HABIT                                                                            Upward or outward                                                                           Outward or                                                      facing        downward facing                                    SPUR LENGTH  About 2 cm    About 3 cm                                         SPUR COLOR   Light pink    Light green                                        PETAL COLOR, 57A           57A                                                WHEN OPENING,                                                                 LOWER SURFACE                                                                 PETAL COLOR, 62A           65A                                                WHEN OPENING,                                                                 UPPER SURFACE                                                                 PETAL COLOR, 57A           57A                                                MATURE,                                                                       LOWER SURFACE                                                                 PETAL COLOR, 62A           62C/62D                                            MATURE,                                                                       UPPER SURFACE                                                                 PEDUNCLE ANGLE                                                                             Upright to outwardly                                                                        Bent from weight of                                             arching       flowers                                            PEDUNCLE     Moderate      Weaker                                             STRENGTH                                                                      ______________________________________                                    

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Double Impatiens plant named `TiogaHot Pink`, as illustrated and described.